Drummer and percussionist Meg Thomas has performed in musical realms that range from rock to calypso, avant-garde to spoken word, Latin-jazz to punk, and dance ensembles to percussion ensembles. 

Meg has acquired years of performance, recording, and teaching experience. She has toured the U.S. and Europe and played with Grammy winners and countless artists that span many genres of music. In addition to having obtained a degree in Music, performing in a wide spectrum of musical settings has helped contribute to her creativity and unique approach to each new musical endeavor. Her drum and percussion set-ups range from the traditional ideas to unique set-ups that incorporate a vast range of percussion instruments.

Meg won runner-up "Rising Star Percussionist" in Drum! Magazine's 2010 Drummie Awards and was named "Musician of the Month" for January 2013 by the Chicago Music Guide.

Meg is part of the the Vic Firth drumstick and mallet company's Education Team as a Vic Firth Private Drum Teacher, teaches lessons out of her studio in Chicago, and has been a panelist for education seminars and panels. Meg teaches private lessons for drum set, congas, bongos, snare drum, djembe, classical percussion, timbales, among other percussion instruments as well as to anyone who is interested in learning to read music, improve their rhythm, or wants to work on music notation. Meg founded and runs the Chicago Women's Drumming Group.

Meg’s love of music and it’s healing properties has led her into the field of Sound Healing. She has two certifications for sound healing and sound therapy. She offers sound healing sessions for individuals and groups.

She has endorsements with Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, Evans Drumheads, LP Percussion, PureSound Percussion, and Humes & Berg Cases.



Groups Meg has Performed with

Tropixplosion!, Calabash, LIFEAFTERSIX, Nevin S. Hersch, Hannah Frank Group, In The Flesh, Big Suit, Deacon Blues, D.S. Wilson, Birdy, Peter Calo (of Carly Simon), Cleemann (Denmark), Nino Arobelidze, Rendezvous, SpaceFace, Better with Bacon, Greenlight, Donna Frost (Nashville), Jim Duncan and Friends/ Joey Sunset Project, Jacqueline Sylvie Band, Vessy Mink, Retrospect, The Gasper Ghoul,  Don Pedigo (Nashville), Blue Period, Liz Chidester, Christina Trulio, Waiflike, The Howl, Forbidden Knowledge, The Wanton Looks, GingaBop, The Very Small Quartet, Paul Willaert, Victor Sanders, The Sweet Maries, James McCandless, Barrett's Hidden Agenda, The Greenleaf Band, Daniel Connolly, Clarence Goodman, One Big Tribe, Roger Reupert and Friends, Rich Rubietta,  "Bodies of Memory" (Dance Show), Squirrel, Pont des Arts Ensemble, Saint Cloud, The Josh Nelson Project, Zozo, Nicolau Santos, Jess Yoakum Band, Echoes, OD TAPO IMI, POP!, Gray Area, Down to the Ground, Sweet Inspiration, Ultimately Blessed, The Pickin' Bubs, Trinity Irish Dance Troupe II, Trinity Irish Dance Troupe, Reptoids, Darlyne Caine, Catfish Jenkins, Matt Mercado and the Amazing Devils, Rhumbuzzz, Capt'n Groovy, Big Fun, The Jake and Elwood Show, Gypsy, Deja Vu, DV8, The Runs, Alma Mendoza, Brian Delaney, The Jasper Stone Trio, The Late Shift Orchestra, Ripley Caine, Tim Seisser Trio, Arturo's Latin-Jazz Combo, Flabby Hoffman Acoustic, Troupe Namaste, Brown Dog, The Kevin Leeds Band, Harem, Casolando, The Carlos Ortega Latin-Jazz Combo, Reely Dan, Caribbean Castaways, Ted Wulfers and Beggers Bridge, Margarita Island, The Tom Brockman Blues Band, RMR, The Acousticats, The Decatur Municipal Band, Stewed Tomatoes, The Chinese Professionals.


Recorded with (in no particular order and not complete):

Hannah Frank Group, LIFEAFTERSIX, The Wanton Looks, Birdy, Nino Arobelidze, Nevin S. Hersch, Jeff Brown, VoxBox, The Sweet Maries, James McCandless, OD TAPO IMI, Canis Lupus, Sue Fink, Eric Hill, Donna Adler, GingaBop, Reptoids, Joseph Sobol, Jacqueline Sylvie Band, Marshall Hong, Eres Ra, Liz Chidester, Rick Anton, The Drum Circle (Kindermusik), Chicago Mike, Liesl Downey, Tom Harter, Lisa Danielson, Randy Rice, Noah Gabriel, Terry MacNamara, The Polar Bears, Bobbi Rector, Jim Gary, Frank Nims, Reva Karkhanis, ​and others.

    
home
MEG THOMAS 
HOMESOLO WORKEDUCATIONRECORDINGMETAPULSE SOUND THERAPYSHOPVIDEOAUDIOGALLERYGEAR
CONTACT/LINKSCALENDAR

2010 Drummie Award "Rising Star Percussionist" Runner-up  ~ Drum Magazine,  Issue #170

January 2013 "Musician of the Month" ~ Chicago Music Guide

"Meg Thomas: The Language of Percussion" ~ Tom Tom Magazine,  Tom Tom Web on May 7th, 2014

(The Wanton Looks) " . . . a monster performance by her and the band. She was all over the drums all night like a punk Buddy Rich, providing a pounding sophistication to the group's lean and mean sound. . . ."  ~ Dave Miller, ChicagoConcertgoers.com

" . . . the machine gun-like drums of 'Demons' (courtesy of Meg Thomas) hammering you into submission. . . ."  
~ LoudLoopPress.com

" . . . While she has the power of a rocker, her playing travels beyond the genre. . .Even in this talented group (Tropixplosion) of musicians, Thomas stood out. . . "  ~Dave Miller, ChicagoConcertgoers.com

". . . The band's swagger is due in no small part to the drumming of Meg Thomas.  She supplements singer/bassist Traci Trouble's lyrics about deliciously bad decisions (see '86 Me') with furious velocity on the kit.  The sheer speed of her snare rolls makes it hard to believe that she could utilize her crash cymbal as much as she does.  Yet, she hits every part of the kit for a full sound and if the "Electromagnetic Force" video is any indicator, she adds in a flourish to her hits for good measure. . . ."~ Valerie Paschall, Tom Tom Magazine

". . . All songs featured incredible, versatile, interesting and, ultimately powerful drumming, which seemed to spur the band (The Wanton Looks) more than usual . . ." ~ Dave Miller, ChicagoConcertgoers.com

". . . Meg Thomas is an amazing conga and percussion player. . ."  ~ Karen Boylen, Latitude 41 53' N Longitude 87 38' W,  Volume 19, Issue 6

". . . Drummer Meg Thomas' blistering, rapid beats are a thing to behold . . ."~ Dave Miller,ChicagoConcertgoers.com

". . . Whether she is playing congas, bongos, or tabla, sitting on her throne behind the drum kit, with her toms, cymbals, snare, timbales and bass drum or she has a shaker in her hand Meg Thomas attracts a lot of attention both for her talent and the great fervor with which she performs. . . . "
Joe Montague, Riveting Riffs Magazine

". . . Thomas' drumming is something to behold in every show. . ."  ~Dave Miller, ChicagoConcertgoers.com


press
about
DRUM CLOCKS

I am repurposing my old drum heads, conga heads, and bongo heads into clocks!  They are still being used to keep time . . .  just in a different way!  You can purchase one directly through me.  Made to order.  Just send an email to MegThomasPercussion@gmail.com.  See my SHOP page for more information.


Contact Us
news!
Documentary Film - "Beat Keepers: Women with Rhythm

I am a part of this new film!  Check it!
RECORDING PERCUSSION TRACKS

If you are looking for a quick inexpensive way to add percussion tracks to your song, I am offering studio recording time.  You send me the file, we discuss what you want, I record out of my studio and send you the tracks.  I have many percussion instruments to choose from and have years of experience picking out instruments to compliment songs.  I play for the song and not to show how many notes I can fit in the measure.  I, unlike loops, will listen and interact with the emotional content of your lyrics and music.  No need to pay for studio time and an engineer.  Just pay for the percussion tracks I record.    

For more information see the Recording Page.
See Gear Page for percussion instruments available.

Contact me with any questions you might have, to schedule time, discuss payment, etc.  


MegThomasPercussion@gmail.com

Contact Us
ONLINE LESSONS ARE AVAILABLE!

I am offering online drum and percussion lessons via Skype.  See more details on my LESSONS page.  Length can be 30 mins, 45mins, or 1 hour.  One off lessons are accepted as well as long term.  Email me for questions and scheduling at MegThomasPercussion@gmail.com.  


Contact Us
MegThomasPercussion@gmail.com